China says Dalai Lama rewarding self-immolators

UNREST:：A Chinese official claims he has proof that the Dalai Lama is encouraging Tibetans to set themselves alight, but that it was not convenient to show it now

Reuters, BEIJING

Sun, Mar 10, 2013 - Page 5

A Chinese official on Friday accused exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama of providing money to encourage people to set themselves on fire, and said they had evidence to prove the Nobel Peace Prize laureate was instigating the self-immolations.

More than 100 Tibetans have set themselves alight in protest against Chinese rule since 2009, mostly in heavily Tibetan areas of Sichuan, Gansu and Qinghai provinces rather than in what China terms the Tibet Autonomous Region. Most have died.

“Self-immolation is fundamentally immoral and inhumane behavior,” Padma Choling, the Chinese appointed head of Tibet’s rubberstamp legislature, told reporters on the sidelines of China’s annual meeting of parliament.

“Instead of being against this, and putting a stop to this, they are encouraging it and using other means, such as giving financial compensation, to continue to instigate incidents like these. I think this is even less humane,” he said, referring to the Dalai Lama and other exiled Tibetans.

Beijing considers the Dalai Lama, who fled from China in 1959 after an abortive uprising against Chinese rule, a violent separatist. The Dalai Lama says he is merely seeking greater autonomy for his Himalayan homeland.

He has called on China to investigate the self-immolations. He has said he is not encouraging them, but has called them “understandable.”

Padma Choling said he had evidence to prove the Dalai Lama’s involvement, though he did not provide it.

“There is some evidence that is not convenient to disclose here,” he said.

China has tightened already strict controls in Tibet since the self-immolations began two years and has all but banned visits by foreign journalists.

Tibet’s new governor, Losang Gyaltsen, appointed in January, signalled there would be no let-up to the heavy security.

“We will always place maintaining stability as our top priority and keep up crackdowns on all secessionist forces and sabotage activities,” he said. “We cherish ethnic unity and stability as we cherish our own eyes.”

“The United States giving this kind of person an award is the same as public support for her separatist speech, and clearly violates its frequent promises to recognize Tibet as part of China,” she said.

Woeser is banned from leaving China and has been under house arrest in Beijing for the past two days.